The present invention is directed to a soil opener for cutting a furrow into a planting surface and, more particularly, to a soil opener usable at high pull speeds without undesirable soil throw.
Conventional furrow cutting devices are designed to be pulled through the planting surface (“soil”) at speeds between three and five miles per hour. The shape, size, and geometry of the devices is such that the amount of soil thrown as the furrow is cut and the profile about which seed and/or fertilizer is deposited assumes that the implement to which the furrowing devices are attached will be pulled by a tractor, or other towing vehicle, at approximate four miles per hour. If the implement is pulled at higher pull or operating speeds, e.g., eight miles per hour, the soil displaced as the furrow is cut will be thrown much higher and farther outward compared to that when the implement is towed at about four miles per hour.
The increased soil displacement resulting from the furrowing device being pulled through the soil at the higher speeds adversely affects fertilizer and seed placement as the retaining effect of the soil on the product being placed has changed. Moreover, since the displacement of the soil is substantially exaggerated at the higher speeds, less soil is available for covering the furrow after the furrowing forming device has passed. Less soil leads to improper soil covering of the seed and fertilizer as well as more pronounced furrows. Additionally, the draft requirement is increased by the soil to furrowing cutting device interaction.
The present invention is directed to a furrow forming device (“soil opener”) that is suited for use at higher pull speeds, e.g., speeds in excess of five miles per hour. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a soil opener is provided that is adapted to be attached to an agricultural implement for placement of product in a furrow funned in soil. The soil opener includes a mount configured to be coupled to a shank of the agricultural implement. The mount has a leading edge for separating the soil as the soil opener is pulled through the soil. The soil opener further has a spreader that is removably coupled to the mount and configured to deflect product delivered to the spreader outward and rearward into the soil. A tip is removably coupled to the spreader and configured to cut a furrow into the soil.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a furrowing device has a first and a second product delivering ports adapted to be flow-coupled to respective conduits through which particulate matter may be presented to the ports. An adapter is provided for mounting the first and the second product delivering ports to a shank of a farm implement. The furrowing device further has a spreading module removably mounted to the adapter and a tip for cutting the furrow and removably mounted to the adapter.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a soil opener is provided that has a mount configured to be coupled to a shank of the agricultural implement. The mount has a leading edge for separating the soil as the soil opener is pulled through the soil. A spreader is coupled to the mount and configured to deflect product delivered to the spreader outward and rearward into the soil. A first interface angle is defined between a leading edge of an upper portion of the mount and the leading edge of a lower portion of the mount. In one implementation, the first interface angle is greater than 10 degrees but less than 20 degrees. A tip is coupled to the mount and configured to cut a furrow into the soil. A second interface angle is defined between a leading edge of the tip and the leading edge of the spreader. In one implementation, the second interface angle is greater than 25 degrees but less than 30 degrees.
Other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.